Fabric-treating apparatus



Sept. 30, 193o H. L. BLUM FABRIC TREATING APPARATUS HHLHI INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Patented Sept. 30, 1930 UNITED; ST T HENRY 1.3mm, or LODI, NEW JERSEY FABRIC-TREATING APPARATUS Application filed November 8,1923. Serial No. 673,432.

This invention relates to fabric treating apparatus such as is adapted to be used in connection with either the washing of fabric or in the dyeing thereof;

lVhen passing the fabric into and through onevor more tanks of water or dyeing fluid, depending upon whether the material is undergoing a washing treatment or a dyeing process, considerable difficulty has been ex- 1 pe-rienced heretofore in sinking the material as it enters the bath;

An important object of my invention is to provide a means for uniformly saturating the fabricwith asuitable fluidprioi' to its entering thebath regardlessof whether such bath is a cleansing agent or a dyeing solution, and

thus expel a sufficient amount of the air present to enable the material to readily sink or submerge and thus effect a uniform washing or dyeing thereof, as the case may be, during the passage of the material through the bath. i r

A further vide an apparatus of the character mentioned, which is simple in construction, easily controlled in its operation and capable of withstanding prolonged use, without detracting from its efliciency. V V

Other objects and certain advantages of 730 the invention will become apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings 1n which i V Figure 1 is a plan'vie'w of one form of de vice embodying my invention. 7

Figure 2 is a sectional "View taken on'the line 22 of Figure 1." Figure 3 is a more or less diagrammatic View illustratingthe form of device shown in Figures land 2, installed and connected to a fluid-supply system. I 1

Figure .L is a top plan view of a modified form of my inventione'f Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 41' .1

object of my invention is to'pro- Figure 6 is a; sectional view taken online 6 6, of Figure 5.

Referring particularly to the drawings wherein are shown what I at present consider the preferred forms of'my invention, the numeral 5indicates a tank adapted forthe recept on of a fluid 6 which may be either a cleansing agent or a dyeing'solution, depending upon whether the fabric undergoing treatment is to be washed or dyed. In proximity 5 to the tank 5, there is arranged a similar tank 7 adapted for the reception of a liquid 8, the sameas that carried by the tank 5. These tanksareconnected together by meansof a pipe 9,-having avalve 10 therein which may be utilized to either sever or establishcommunication between the two tanks. In order that the liquid within the tanks 5 and 7 may be drawn therefrom, suitabledrain pipes 11 and 12 are provided having valves 13 and 14 5 associated therewith. The material or fabric 15 to be'washed or dyed is, in accordance with the'usual practice, passed through the tanks 5 and? and is submerged successively therein beneath the surface of the'liquid 6 and 8. The fabric 15 is introduced into the first tank 5, over a roller 16 and after having passed through the liquid 6 is withdrawn from the tank 5 over'the roller17 from which it passes into the tank 7, through the liquid 8 and out of the sameover a roller 18;

r In order that the material 15' may be uni formly saturated-with a liquid prior toits entering'the' tank 5 so that the same will readily sink beneath thesurface'of the'liq'uid 3 6, I haveprovided a saturating device 19 through which the material passes, and in order to further insure saturation of the material after it leaves the tank 5 and before it enters thetank7, I have provided a second 35 saturatingldevice 19; These saturating de- 7 vices are identical and the details of con- .struction thereofwill be morereadily appreciated from the disclosure of Figures '1 and 1 2, in which the numeralQO indicates an anm nular body to which is connected an inlet pipe 21. To the lower end of the body 20, there is suitably connected a bottom 22 having a relatively large opening 23 formed centrally therein. The inner margin of the bottom 22 is connected to a Vertically disposed annular wall 24 to the top of which is suitably connected a false bottom 25 having a series of perforations 26 formed therein relatively near its peripheral edge. This false bottom is connected at its periphery to the annular body and is provided centrally with a relatively large opening ,27 coaxial with the opening 23 formed in the bottom 22. To the false bottom and to the body 20 are secured a plurality of vertically disposed equidistant-1y spaced gussets 28 which are cut away to present curved edges 29 upon which is fitted and supported an annular guide 30 formed from a suitable material, Such as hard rubber, porcelain or the like. This guide is maintained in a coaxial relation with the openings 23 and 27 and is flared at opposite ends, as shown at 31 and 32. The guide 30 is retained in its proper posit on upon the gussets 28 by means of a plurahty of fingers 33 suitably connected to the gussets 28 and projecting inwardly into engagement with the lower or flared end 31 of the guide. The material 15 to be treated passes through the guide 30 and the openings 27 and 23, as will be readily appreciated from the disclosure of Figure 3. Inasmuch as the material 15 is in the form of a relatively wide strip, it

; will be understood that the same upon entering the guide 30 is brought together and so folded as to simulate a rope having a diameter approximately that of the shortest diameter of the guide 30.

As the material passes through the saturating device 19- into the tank 5 it is subjected to an initial fluid treatment, which fluid may be either a washing medium or a dyeing medium, depending upon whether the liquid within the tanks 5 and 7 is a washin medium or a dyeing solution. If the materlal is undergoing a washing process, water is supplied from a main 34 to the annular chamber 35, formed between the body 20, bottom 22, wall 24 and false bottom 25, through the pipe 21 and the several pipe sections 36, 37, 38 and39, such supply of liquid being controlled by either or both of the valves 40 and 41. As the material passes through the saturating device 19, the water supplied to the chamber escapes through the perforations 26 and is thereafter directed by the gussets inwardly upon the material as it passes through the guide 30 and openings 27 and 23. 1 By intr,0 ducing the material 15 into the tank 5 at a uniform linear speed and by maintaning a constant flow of water through the valves 40 and 41, a through and uniform saturation of the material is accomplished prior to its entering the tank 5 so that the material after having passed through the saturating device 19 readily submerges or sinks below the level of the washing medium 6. The excess water delivered to the tank 5 may be drawn ofl periodically, or as conditions necessitate, through the pipe 11, by opening the valve 13. If it is desired, however, to supply water from the main 34 to the washing device 19 associated with the tank 7, such may be accomplished by opening the valve 42 disposed in the pipe line 43 leading from the pipe section 37 to the second washing device. It will be understood,-.of course, that the supply of water delivered to the second device 19 may be governed independently of that delivered to v the first washing device through the instrumentality of the valve 42.

"In the event the material 15 is to be subjected to a dyeing process, in which case the fluid 6 and 8 within the tanks 5 and 7, respectively, is a dyeing solution, the valve 40 is closed, whereupon by means of a centrifugal or other suitable pump 44 connected to appropriate driving means, not shown, the solution in the tanks 5 and 7 is delivered to the device 19 through the pipe sections 36 to 39 inclusive, and the pipes 45 and 46 connected, respectively, to the inlet and outlet ports of the pump and to the tank 5 and pipe sections 36. Of course, it will be understood that the valves, 41 and 47 are opened prior to the starting of the pump 44, but these valves may be utilized to govern more or less the flow of liquid from the tank 5 to the saturating device 19 associated therewith.

If it is desired to supply the dyeing solution also to the saturating device 19 assoeiated with the tank 7, the valves 10 and 42 are opened in which case the opening of valve 10 establishes communication be tween the two tanks 5 and 7 whereas the opening of valve 42 establishes communication between the pipes 37 and 43. It will be understood, of course, that the valves 13 and 14 are closed to prevent undue escape of the dyeing solution from the tanks 5 and 7 when the pump 44 is operating to facilitate the transferral of the dyeing solution from the tanks to the saturating devices 19.

Referring to Figures 4 to (3 inclusive wherein isshown a modified form of the device embodying my invention, the numeral 48 indicates a body portion to the lower end of which is connected a bottom 49 having a rectilinear opening 50 formed therein. Directly above the bottom 49 there is arranged a false bottom 51 which is provided centrally with a rectilinear opening 52 corresponding to the opening 50. This false bottom is, at its outer margin, secured to the body portion 48 and is provided at opposite sides with a plurality of perforations53. To the inner longitudinal margins of the bottom 49 and false bottom 51 there is connected a pair of vertically disposed Walls 53. These walls extend upwardly through the opening 52 and are secured at opposite ends to the body portion 48, as shown at 54:.

It will be appreciated that the vertically disposed walls 53 form with the bottom 49 and false bottom 51 longitudinally disposed passages 56 located upon opposite sides of the openings 50 and 52. These passages are connected together and rendered communicative by reason of the fact that vertically disposed end walls 55 are employed which are connected to the bottom 49, false bottom 51 and vertically disposed walls 53, thus forming transversely disposed chambers 57 at opposite ends of the device. It will be noted, too, that the upper portions of the vertically disposed walls 53 which are secured atopposite ends to the body portion 48 form with the longitudinal sides of the body portion a pair of reservoirs or receptacles 58 which are maintained in communication with the chambers 56 through the perforations 53 formed in the false bottom 51. Within the upper portions of the vertically disposed walls 53, there is formed a pair of elongated slots 59 adjacent to which are provided outwardly and inwardly extending lips or flanges 60 and 61, respectively. Within the reservoirs 58 there is arranged a pair of vertically disposed and vertically adjustable slides or baffles 62 which are maintained in their respect-ive positions by means of guides 63 carried by the body portion at opposite ends of the reservoir 58.

The modified form of my device is adapted to be used in the same manner as the form of device indicated by the numeral 19 and hereinbefore particularly described. The cloth or fabric, however, in passing through the modified form of device shown in Figures 4 to 6, inclusive, is not doubled or folded up as previously described inasmuch as the passage 64 through which the fabric passes is sufficient in length to accommodate the full width of the material. The fluid, regardless of whether it is water or a dyeing solution, in the case of the modified form of my invention, is adapted to be supplied through either one or both of the openings 65 formed in opposite ends of the body portion 18. The fluid thus supplied passes into the end chambers 57 and thence into the longitudinal chambers 56 from which it is directed through the openings 53 into the reservoirs 58 from which it passes through the elongated oppositely disposed slots 59 into contact with the material 15 as it is directed downwardly through the passage 64 and into the tanks.

While I have shown one form of fluid distributing system in Figure 3, it is to be understood that various other arrangements of pipes may be resorted to in order to direct the fluid to the saturating devices regardless of whether such fluid is water to be used in the washing of the material, or. a dyeing solution to be used in the process of dyeing, and inasmuch. .as' many forms of fluid distributing systems may: be used, the scope of the invention is not limitedby reason of the specific disclosureof Figure3. Neither is the invention to be limited to any number of tanks nor to the order in whichthewashing and dyeing processes are facilitated and carried out by the use of'my invention. It is to be further understood, also, that various changes in the size, shape, arrangement and proportioning of elements entering into my invention may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

I claim:

1. In combination, a tank containing a liquid, means to pass a fabric into said tank to be treated by the liquid therein, a device disposed above said tank and having a guide through which said fabric passes before it enters the tank, a plurality of gussets spaced about said guide, a chamber communicating with the spaces between the gussets and means to supply a liquid to said chamber.

2. An apparatus for treating fabrics comprising in combination a tank into which said fabrics are introduced and a device to treat said fabrics prior to their entry into the tank, said device comprising an annular portion thereof, said chamber communicating with the upper portion of said body, and a guide for directing the fabrics through said annular body.

body having an annular chamber in the lower 7 3. An apparatus for treating fabrics comprising in combination a tank into which said fabrics are introduced and a device to treat said fabrics prior to their entry into the tank, said device comprising an annular body having an annular chamber in the lower portion thereof, the top of said chamber being perforated whereby liquid introduced into said chamber will pass into the upper portion of said body, and a guide for directing said fabrics through said annular body.

4. An apparatus for treating fabrics comprising in combination a tank into which said fabrics are introduced and a device to treat said fabrics prior to their entry into the tank, said device comprising an annular body having an annular chamber in the lower portion thereof, the top of said chamber be ing perforated whereby liquid introduced into. said chamber will pass into the upper portion of said body, gussets disposed in the upper part of said body and a guide mounted on said gussets.

5. An apparatus for treating fabrics comprising in combination a tank into which said fabrics are introduced and a device to treat said fabrics prior to their entryinto the tank, said device comprising an annular body having an annular chamber in the lower portion thereof, the top of said chamber being perforated whereby liquid introducedinto said chamber Will pass into the upper portion of saidbody, gussets disposed in the upper part of said body a guide mounted on said gussetsandmeans to retain said guide on said gussetsr In testimony whereofil have aifixed my signature to this specification.

HENRY L. BLUM. 

